


The Great Escape

by brentdax



Series: Hermione Last Drabble Writer Standing Entries [8]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: All Word Counters Lie, Azkaban, Azkaban Is About As Secure As The Lock On Your Little Sister's Diary, Brilliant But Scary, F/M, I Should Know, I Wrote A Word Counter And It Only Lied A Little Less Than The Others, Quintuple Drabble, Remember Those Times When Hermione Suspended Her Scruples, The AO3 Word Counter Lies, This Is That Taken Up To Eleven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-10-10
Updated: 2007-10-10
Packaged: 2017-12-25 03:59:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/948368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brentdax/pseuds/brentdax
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione proves him wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Great Escape

**Author's Note:**

> This quintuple drabble was my eighth entry in round two of the [Hermione Last Drabble Writer Standing](http://hermione-ldws.livejournal.com/) contest, which I ultimately took second place in. The prompt for this round was:
> 
> "Write a ship that you hate as if you loved it."
> 
> Diabolical.

She had laid this plan carefully, cunningly, the way that would most impress him.

She started by establishing her cover. She submitted a proposal to her superiors. They felt that interviewing Death Eaters to learn of any Potions breakthroughs Voldemort had made was a proper project for an Unspeakable. She did all the preliminary work, filed a request with the Auror Office, and requisitioned three phials of Veritaserum.

So one cold, blustery autumn day, she found herself in the far north of Scotland, waiting for the boat to Azkaban.

Her husband, Ron, stood beside her. She’d asked if she could have him for emotional support while she interviewed the people who’d tried to kill her; the Ministry had agreed readily.

Three phials of colorless, odorless potion sat in her pocket. Only two contained Veritaserum.

* * *

“You _know_ why I despise you.”

“No. I know why you _say_ you do, when you need to follow the party line. But you’re not that stupid.”

* * *

It was halfway through the day when the Aurors finally led him into the room and sat him down. Chains snaked around his wrists, and the Aurors left.

He seemed to regard her and Ron for a moment, then turned his gaze to the table, where her notes and potions were spread out. His gaze slowly traced up her body, lingering on the wand she was holding, and back to her eyes, and he drawled, “Want something, Granger?”

“Yes,” she said. She pointed her wand at Ron and said, “ _Imperio._ ”

Draco’s eyes widened even as Ron’s expression went slack. “What are you doing?”

“You’re not overly fond of this place, are you?”

“The service is terrible, and the food less than stellar.”

“Well, it’s time to check out.” She grabbed one of the little bottles off the table and rounded the table. “Open your mouth.”

“How’s Veritaserum--”

“It’s not Veritaserum. It doesn’t have a name, I invented it, but it switches peoples’ bodies. Now _open._ ”

Dutifully, he did so, and she let three drops hit his tongue.

* * *

“What’s your _real_ problem with me?” she asked hotly.

His sneer was audible. “My _real_ problem _s_? You think you’re brilliant, but it’s all just book-learnt--you couldn’t think creatively to save your life. You have no concept of subtlety. And when you foolishly _sacrifice_ what you want, you don’t feel cheated; you feel _smug._ ”

* * *

At the beginning of the day, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley had entered the prison. At the end of it, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley had left.

Or at least, it looked that way.

They couldn’t speak freely until they were in private, but on the Knight Bus, Hermione commented, “Remember what you said back then? About why you didn’t like me?”

“Yes.” He still drawled; they’d have to work on that.

“I think I just disproved it all.”

“I’d have to agree.”

His hand found hers. She almost stopped him, but then, nobody would be shocked to see her husband holding her hand.


End file.
